


A reason to stay

by Dahlia_Rose_83



Category: Legacies (TV 2018), The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms
Genre: AU, M/M, My version of "Mombie Dearest", Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:13:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23263021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dahlia_Rose_83/pseuds/Dahlia_Rose_83
Summary: This is my version of Legacies Episode "Mombie Dearest". Instead of his dead almost-wife, Alaric gets a visit from his formerly undead best friend.
Relationships: Alaric Saltzman/Damon Salvatore
Comments: 6
Kudos: 53





	A reason to stay

**Author's Note:**

> I really like Legacies, though not as much as Vampire Diaries. It just feels like something's missing. And that something is probably Damon. So I wrote this, since the idea just got stuck in my head.

Alaric sat in his office, poring over books in search of hints about Malivore. Without success so far. He found it surprisingly hard to concentrate on his research. Caroline’s phone call stuck in his mind and he still had no idea how to break the news to his girls that their mom wouldn’t be able to make it home today. As if he didn’t have enough problems already. It was probably only a matter of time until the next monster arrived.

A knock on the door made him jump in shock. His hand went to the crossbow hidden beneath the desk automatically. Then he shook his head at himself. The next monster most likely wouldn’t have the decency to announce its presence by knocking on his door. Fuck, he really needed a break.

“Come in.” he called tensely. Because even if it wasn’t a monster knocking on his door, it couldn’t be good news either. Emma and Dorian should both be busy right now and the students usually only bothered him when there were problems. But as soon as the door opened, he relaxed and a smile appeared on his face.

“What are you doing here?”  
“Is that any way to greet your best friend?” Damon Salvatore asked jokingly.

Alaric got up and pulled him into a hug.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m glad to see you.” he assured.  
“Caroline told me you’ve got some problems.” Damon let him know.  
“You’ve seen Caroline? She didn’t mention it on the phone earlier.”

The dark-haired man shrugged. “I guess she wanted me to surprise you. Bonnie went with her to investigate the new lead and they both thought you could use some help here.”

Alaric nodded. “That I can. The whole thing is driving me nuts. When you knocked I actually thought for a second it would be the next monster.” he admitted.

“Monster? Not anymore. I must admit I’m rather boring these days.” Damon joked.

Ric chuckled, but before he could reply the door burst open and his daughters stormed in. Without sparing a glance for their surroundings they headed straight for him, stopping to regard him with matching furious expressions.

“Is it true? Mom’s not coming?” Lizzie demanded to know.  
“She can’t make it. There… there’s a strike at the airport in Mozambique.” he lied.  
“She couldn’t compel a pilot and hop on a private jet?”

Alaric didn’t know what to say. He hated lying to his girls. Especially today, on their birthday. He knew they had been looking forward to Caroline coming home. But he couldn’t tell them the truth either.

Lucky for him, Damon came to the rescue. “You know your mom and her stupid moral code.”

Both of them whirled around, only now noticing that they weren’t alone. “Uncle Damon!” they shrieked, throwing their arms around him.   
The dark-haired man laughed. “How are my two favourite witches? Is it actually possible that you’re getting prettier every time I see you?”

Both girls giggled and started talking a mile a minute. Alaric used the distraction to really look at his best friend. Damon looked good. Really good. He was even more attractive now with almost forty than he’d been as an eternally 24-year-old. At least in Ric’s (slightly biased) opinion. It was easy to see that he trained regularly. His shoulders were a bit broader than they used to be.

“We’ll put Damon in mom’s room, okay Dad?” Josie’s voice shook him from his musings.  
“Alright.”  
“I’ll just get my bag from the car. Why don’t you come with me? I can give you your presents right away.” the former vampire offered.

Of course Lizzie and Josie immediately took him up on it. The blonde practically dragged him to the door. Alaric watched them with a fond shake of his head. His girls had always been completely besotted with Damon. And he couldn’t blame them. Good looks quite aside, the dark-haired man had turned into a wonderful person.

Which was even more amazing considering the rough times he’d been through. His marriage with Elena had been a real roller-coaster. The had fought, split up, gotten back together, only to fight again. They’d never gotten their happy-ever-after. Instead the news of Elena’s pregnancy had finally ended things for good. Because Damon was infertile. Three different doctors had told him so. And Elena, whom he hadn’t told at that time, had claimed him to be the father.

She was now living in Florida with husband number three and two kids. Ric hadn’t heard from her since she’d moved away six years ago and he wasn’t all too sad about it. Damon on the other hand had started travelling the world with Bonnie. After the divorce everyone had assumed they would start dating, but they were more like brother and sister than anything else.

Damon also showed up in Mystic Falls every now and then, sometimes with Bonnie in tow. Lizzie and Josie weren’t the only ones who were always excited about these visits. Ric was really happy whenever he got to see his best friend as well and extremely sad to see him go again. But he’d never dared to ask Damon to stay. And he most likely wouldn’t do it this time either. He was too scared of Damon saying no.

With a sigh he sat back down and was just about to return to his research when there was another knock on the door.  
“Come in.”

This time Hope poked her head in. “Dr. Saltzman? I think we’ve got a problem.”  
Great. “The next monster?” he guessed.  
“Well...”

She nodded to someone outside and seconds later MG led a boy into the office. But not just any boy. It was…

“Connor? Shouldn’t he be..”  
“Dead?” Hope finished for him. “He should.”  
“Just great.”

***

About an hour later Alaric was in the library with Emma, Damon and Dorian. About a dozen books were spread out on the table in front of them. After questioning Connor thoroughly, they had locked him in Ric’s office, while they tried to figure out how he’d gotten here.

“I don’t get it.” Ric sighed. “He hasn’t tried to escape, not a word about the knife… He remembers how he died and let’s not ignore the fact that we all remember him so he’s not like the other creatures.”

“Blunt force hasn’t gotten them what they want, so they’ve moved on to psychological warfare.” Emma guessed.

Which sounded logical enough, but still didn’t explain why a dead boy had managed to walk through their door. Or what the hell they were supposed to do with him now.

But then Dorian spoke up: “Here. There’s an eyewitness account of a group of World War I soldiers buried in France... who came back to life and massacred a village. After, they didn’t remember hurting anyone, and they all said they’d been “yanked” back into being. Like Connor.”

“Wait, so someone or something resurrected them and used them to attack a village?” Well, that sounded promising.

***

Damon strolled slowly down the corridor, looking around. It was surprising how much this house had changed. And also how much it hadn’t. This place was still full of memories of a life that seemed so far away now.

He’d left Ric and the other two back at the library. They were engrossed in their research and he’d felt a little left out. He’d never been the scholarly type, so he wasn’t much help to them. Maybe it had been a mistake, coming here.

He stopped in front of the door to Lizzie and Josie’s room. After a slight hesitation he knocked, not really expecting an answer. They were probably already downstairs, enjoying their party. Therefore he was surprised to hear Josie call out: “I’m almost done!”

Frowning he opened the door and stepped inside. Josie was sitting in front of the mirror, wearing a pretty ball gown and trying in vain to untangle her hair.

“Do you need help?”  
“Do you know how to braid?” she asked hopefully.  
“Let’s find out.”

He took the brush from her and tried to remember what exactly Bonnie did with her hair when they went out. He’d watched her hundreds of times. It couldn’t be that hard.

“Aren’t you going to be late?” he wondered.  
“Oh, no. It’s cool. No one will notice.”  
“At your own party?”  
Josie shrugged. “Maybe if I had a date...”  
“I thought you had a girlfriend.”

She sighed. “Penelope dumped me.”  
“Oh. I’m sorry. And there’s been no-one since?”  
“Well, there’s this boy, um… but he’s going with Lizzie, so…”

Damon squeezed her shoulder. “Shit feeling, huh? I know that all too well. But it gets better. Believe me. And I’m sure you’re going to find someone soon. Someone who realizes how special you are.”

Josie smiled. “Thanks Damon.”  
“And your hair is done.” And didn’t look half-bad, if he did say so himself.  
“Thank you. You really saved me.”  
“Anytime. You look beautiful, Jo-Jo.”

The comment earned him another smile. But Josie made no move to get up.

“Do you want me to accompany you to the party? Or would it be uncool to show up with an old fart like me?” he joked.  
“You’re not old. And not uncool.” she assured. “But you don’t need to come with me. I’ll manage. Go and find dad.”  
“Ah, I’m not a big help to your dad right now.”

Josie shrugged. “At least you’re here. That means a lot. I think he’s really lonely.”  
“Really?”  
“Hmm. That’s why I’m glad you’re here now.”  
“Hey, that’s what friends are for.”

The witch rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean that he needs a friend.”  
“What does he need then?”  
“You know exactly what he needs.”  
“Are you trying to play match-maker?” Damon asked with a laugh.  
“Why not? You were the one who taught me that it’s okay to like boys and girls, remember?”

Yes, he did remember. Josie had been unsure of herself. Lizzie had only ever talked about boys, while she’d started to notice girls as well. Caroline had been away and she hadn’t really wanted to talk to her dad, so she had confided in Damon.

“What makes you think your dad even likes me that way? Or that I like him like that?”  
“I’ve noticed how he looks at you. And vice versa.”

Damn it. This girl was way too perceptive. He had thought he’d done a good job of hiding his feelings.

“Will you talk to him?” she asked, giving him the puppy dog look. He’d never been able to resist that and of course she knew it.  
“Alright. I’ll talk to him. And you’re going to that party now and having fun.”  
“Okay.”

***

Despite his promise to Josie, Damon didn’t immediately seek out Ric. Instead he strolled through the upper floors for a while, lost in thought.

Yes, he liked Alaric. A lot. Bonnie would insist that he was even in love with is best friend and he was beginning to suspect that she was right. But he still hadn’t dared to approach Ric. His fear of being shot down was just too great. His failed marriage hadn’t exactly done much to help his self esteem.

And he had no idea what exactly Alaric thought of him. If he only saw him as a friend or if there really was more. Every time he showed up in Mystic Falls he kept hoping that Ric would ask him to stay. That he would just give him a reason to stay. But he never did.

With a sigh he finally returned downstairs, where he ran right into a panicked Alaric.

“Damon, have you seen Connor?”  
“The dead guy? No, I haven’t. Why?”  
“He somehow escaped and we can’t find him. Emma just left with the knife. Just to be safe.”  
“Okay. Do you want me to… Wait a moment, that’s him, isn’t it?”

It was Connor, who was walking up to them with a worried look on his face. His clothes were dirty and his hands were covered with soil. To Damon it looked like he’d just dug himself out of his grave. Which was stupid. Because he’d been walking around all this time, looking immaculate.

“Connor! Where were you? What...” Alaric started ranting.  
Only to be interrupted mid-sentence. “I… I don’t know what happened. I had a blackout. One moment I was in your office and the next… I was in the old cemetery. And my hands...”

He gasped loudly before suddenly going limp. Alaric just barely managed to catch him before he collapsed onto the ground. Damon took a step towards them, but stopped in shock when Connor opened his eyes again. They were totally white.

“What’s happening?” Alaric whispered.  
“There’s a knife in your possession that will buy you the answer.” the boy said. 

But his voice sounded different. Like it wasn’t his own. Alaric dropped him to the ground with a loud thud, but Connor just laughed before getting to his feet again.

“No need to rush. I’m sure your daughter has an hour before she runs out of air.”  
Alaric grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pinned him in a choke-hold against the wall.  
“Where is she? What did you do?!”

***

Damon looked around nervously while he followed Hope through the darkness towards the cemetery. He still didn’t understand why Ric had insisted on him accompanying her. He usually stayed well away from the trybrid. Firstly because he didn’t have any fond memories of her father and secondly because Lizzie couldn’t stand her. And he tended to side with the Saltzman twins.

But Josie’s life was on the line here, so he’d given in without much fuss. A quick check of the hall had shown Lizzie enjoying her party and not suspecting anything bad. There was no sing of Josie however. So Damon and Hope had been tasked with looking for her, while Ric tried to talk Emma into handing over the knife.

“You gonna howl at the moon wearing that?” a girl suddenly called out to hope.  
“Sorry, no time for bitchy banter.” Hope called back, walking past. But then she suddenly stopped and turned to face the girl and her companion.   
“Actually… we could use your help finding Josie.”

That drew their attention immediately and Damon finally recognized them. The girl was Penelope, Josie’s ex-girlfriend. The boy was one of the vampires. Everybody just called him MG, if he recalled correctly. Hope explained to them what had happened and they agreed to help.

Hope lead the way into the cemetery. Penelope was clutching a shovel, just like Hope and Damon, while MG had grabbed an axe. 

“MG, listen for her breathing.” the trybrid instructed.  
Barely a second later MG stopped. “Hold on… I hear something.”

He started digging up a newly-dug patch of earth in front of a gravestone, but suddenly a decomposing arm pushed itself through the soil and started grabbing him by the ankle. Seconds later the rest of the creature burst out of the dirt. Penelope took her shovel and swung it at the zombie, burying the blade into the side of his neck, but it barely slowed him down. Only when MG jammed the end of the blade in the zombie's forehead did it drop dead.

“To kill a walker, you gotta go for the brain! Everybody knows that.” he claimed.  
“Yeah, every nerd, maybe.” Penelope complained. “Just call it a zombie.”   
“Zombies. Plural.” Damon corrected.

All four of them clutched their weapons tightly as more zombies surrounded them in a circle, forcing them to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and fight back. It didn’t take long however until they’d taken out most of the zombies.

“MG, we can handle the rest. Just find Josie.” Hope ordered.  
“Right. Got it.”

Without another word, MG vamp-sped away, leaving Hope, Damon and Penelope to deal with the rest. As soon as the last one had gone down, they ran after the vampire.

Only to find him in an open grave, trying to fight off yet another zombie. Hope killed it quickly, before looking at MG with exasperation.

“MG, we’re running out of time!” she yelled. “Just get up and find her!”  
“I can’t. There’s too much noise.”  
“Well, listen harder!“

Her harsh tone only made the boy tense up even more. Damon went over and grabbed his shoulders, forcing MG to look at him. “Hey, relax. You can do this, MG. You know Josie’s voice. You hear it everyday. Just close your eyes, take a deep breath and concentrate only on her voice.”

MG nodded. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Only to open them again seconds later, declare: “I got her.” and vamp-speed away.

The others rushed after him. When they reached him this time he was digging in the earth with his bare hands at vampire speed. Damon and the girls hurried to help him and soon they saw Josie's smooth, alive hand rise out of the soil. MG grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the earth and Damon immediately pulled her into a hug, breathing a sigh of relief.

***

“Dorian is returning Connor’s body to his grave.” Alaric said, falling into his chair with a groan.

Damon, who was standing at the window, merely nodded. Once everything was said and done, Connor had dropped dead again. This time hopefully for good. 

“How’s Josie?” the dark-haired man wanted to know.  
“Better. She took a long shower and went to bed. Emma gave her something to make sure she sleeps peacefully.”  
“Good.”

“Thanks for your help today.” Alaric spoke up again after a moment.  
“Hey, that’s what I’m here for.”   
“Still, thank you.”  
“If you’d told me a few weeks ago that I’d be fighting a horde of zombies alongside some supernatural teenagers, I’d have thought you’re crazy.”  
“What can I say? Welcome to my world.”

Damon chuckled and finally left his post by the window, taking a seat on Ric’s desk instead.  
“I’m glad I came.”  
“Of course. You would’ve missed the zombies otherwise.” Alaric joked.

The former vampire hesitated, but finally looked directly at his friend.  
“Josie thinks you’re lonely.”  
Ric sighed. “She worries too much.”  
“Is she right?”  
“A bit. I mean, I’ve got the school and my girls. But aside from that...”  
“You’ve got me. If you want me, that is.” Damon whispered.

For a second Alaric could only stare at him. Then he got up and pulled him into a desperate kiss.

“How long are you staying?” he asked when they broke apart again.  
“As long as you want me here.”  
“And what if I want you here forever?”  
“Then I guess I’ll stay forever.”

They kissed again. And again. And even after they’d stopped kissing, the stood there with their arms around each other.

“I never had a real home. Not since 1864.” Damon murmured.  
“That’s not true. This is your home. It always was your home. And it always will be.” Alaric promised.  
“It … feels a little like home.” the dark-haired man admitted. “But I never had a reason to stay.”  
“I can give you a thousand reasons.” Ric claimed.

“I won’t be much help to you. Especially once no more monsters show up.”  
“That’s not true. I’ve heard what you did today. How you helped MG. I’m sure you’ll be a big help.”  
Damon looked at him with a frown. “Does that mean you want me to take care of your vampires?”  
“Who would be better suited than you?”  
“Pretty much anyone?”  
“You underestimate yourself. But you don’t need to work with the vampires if you don’t want to. It’s up to you. Just think about it, okay?”  
“Okay.” the former vampire agreed.

They were just about to kiss again when the door burst open and Dorian came in.  
“Ric? There’s something you should see.”

Alaric let go of Damon with a sigh. “More zombies?”  
“No. I think I just met the creature responsible for the zombies. I’ve knocked him out and locked him up in the cellar.”  
“Alright. I’ll be down in a minute.”

Dorian nodded and left, while Alaric turned to Damon with an apologetic look.   
“Sorry, but I’ve got to...”  
“It’s okay. It never gets boring around here. I got it.” Damon said reassuringly, taking his hand. “Come on, let’s have a look at your new monster.”


End file.
